Serious Jokes
by UnapologeticallyMe
Summary: "You know you love me," He said it teasingly, but Caitlyn felt the words echo in her head no matter how hard she tried to toss the comment aside.


**Trying to get back into this writing thing… Anyone excited about this besides myself? :) **

"Don't touch that," Caitlyn snapped, almost cracking a smile at the way his eyes grew wide at her tone. He must have thought she didn't see him.

_Didn't see him?_

She scoffed in her mind. As if. She _wished _she didn't see him. The way he smirked at her while teasing her, the way went out of the way just to make things difficult for her… The way he was currently laying on her bed, hands (now innocently) folded under his head.

Going back to the conversation she was having on the phone, "I'm not much of a party-er," she sighed. Why must annoying guys always try to make her life something it wasn't? Didn't these people see that she was _not_ a people person. And wearing dresses, putting on makeup, and going somewhere "to be seen" wasn't on her "to do" list.

"C'mon, Caitlyn," the guy on the other end of the conversation sounded to be getting more and more irritated, "You never hang out with the rest of us. Why are you anti-social?"

"Oh, that's what you think, is it?" she snapped. The way she snapped at Jarrod was different than the way she snapped at Shane. She could only hope no one ever noticed. How was that possible, anyways? It's wasn't something done intentionally. What made it different? Was it possible to snap at someone with affection?

_Gah, I hope not!_

"It's what we all think," Jarrod grumbled, "Maybe if you put yourself out there a little more-"

"And be someone I'm not just to please you all? No, thanks!" Caitlyn glanced over her should when she felt piercing eyes on her, but quickly looked in the other direction again. As if that kept him from hearing her side of the conversation, "Look, I'll see you at work tomorrow. Bye."

There was a long silence after she snapped her phone shut and set it on her desk, but eventually she spun her desk chair around to face Shane again. His expression wasn't readable, and Caitlyn hated that, "What?" she sounded defensive.

"What did he want you to be that you aren't? Normal?" the familiar smirk graced his face and Caitlyn shot him a glare.

"Thank you for that, Shane," she commented sarcastically, tossing a paperback book at him and smiling a little as it hit him in the chest.

"Yeah, because that really hurt," he rolled his eyes at her before laying back down on her bed, "But seriously, what did he want?"

"None of your business, oh nosey one," she scoffed. He always did that – teased her or irritated her before changing directions completely and expecting her to comply. Yeah, right.

"Fine, I'll just call him myself and ask – toss me your cell," he hopped up from his spot on the bed, but when she just gave him a "like you'd actually do that" look he crossed the room to stand in front of her, "Hand it," he demanded, amusement sparkling in his eyes.

"Shut up, Shane," she laughed in a mocking way, before turning to her laptop and busying herself with the program she had open, "You're ridiculous."

"Am I?" he reached across her keyboard and snatched up her cell before she could stop him. Caitlyn jumped up from her seat, causing the chair to roll backward and she grabbed his forearm of the hand he held her phone in.

"Stop," she demanded, using one hand to try to pry the device from his hard grip, "C'mon, this isn't funny. You can't just use my phone because you're too nosey for your own good – let go!"

He was smirking at her again, obviously amused by her struggling attempt to get her stolen phone back. Caitlyn clenched her teeth in annoyance at the cocky look on his face as he yanked away from her and jumped up to stand on her bed, opening her phone in the process.

"What the heck, Shane?" she exclaimed, climbing on the bed after him, grabbing for the phone that he now held over his head… Completely out of her reach.

"Feeling a little short, are we?" he taunted her, grinning.

She folded her arms in front of her, pretending that his grin wasn't having any effect on her. It wasn't fair that she couldn't even fight with him without having that fluttery feeling in her stupid stomach.

"Give it here," she held out a hand once their staring at each other went on for a few moments, "Don't be a jerk."

"Aw, don't say that, Caity," he chuckled, "You know you love me."

He said it teasingly, but Caitlyn felt the words echo in her head no matter how hard she tried to toss the comment aside. Here she was, trying to be angry with Shane – the only person who tried _constantly _to annoy her – standing mere inches from him and he had the nerve to say _that._

"'You know you love me'?" Caitlyn forced the mocking tone out, "Wow, do you even realize how arrogant you sound right now?"

"Well, it's true," Shane's smirk suddenly felt too close, but she didn't know how to put distance between them without looking like an idiot.

"You wish," she scoffed, swallowing dryly. This conversation was taking a toll on her. She hated it. She didn't want to joke about something like this – not with him.

"I don't have to wish," he shrugged, slipping her phone into his back pocket.

"You're annoying," Caitlyn spat without thinking, and for a moment she thought his smirk flickered but it had to be his imagination.

"That's my job."

"You exceed at it."

Silence.

"You're not joking," was his soft comment, finally. Caitlyn just stared him down. Just because she had trouble talking to him while he was so close, didn't mean she was going to back down. They were still standing on the bed, "Geez, Cait, tell me how you really feel." He snapped with sarcasm.

"Give me my phone back," was all she could muster in reply, thankful that her soft tone sounded simply flat instead of the uncertainty she was feeling.

"Get it yourself," he tossed the comment back at her, looking sincerely irritated.

"That was a dumb come back," Caitlyn raised one eyebrow at him, but he just shoved past her and stepped off the bed.

"Well, I'm dumb-" Caitlyn grabbed the sleeve of his tshirt, making him turn around to face her. It was a little strange being the taller one for once as he stood at the foot of the bed.

"Don't say that," she whispered. She knew the words might reveal something about her that she wanted to keep hidden, but at the same time she hated his sudden angry mood and wondered what had caused it.

"Why not?" he gave her a hard stare, not even appearing to care that she was possibly stretching his sleeve out.

"Because you're not?" What was this? Since when did his teasing end up with him being dark and moody? She wasn't sure how to handle dark and moody Shane. She was much more familiar with teasing, cocky Shane.

"Then what am I?" his voice was a little softer, but Caitlyn swore his stare was harder. What kind of a question was that? What did he want her to say?

"I…You're…" Caitlyn hated her loss for words. If only she could say everything she thought he was, but just the thought made her feel warm.

"That's what I thought," he snapped and tried to turn to leave, but Caitlyn put her hands on his shoulders to stop him. Unfortunately, she lost her balance with the action and ended up falling into him. His steadying hands on her sent a shot of something up her spine.

Ah, she was the shorter one again.

"Shane, wait," she muttered, even though he obviously wasn't going anywhere at the moment. Her thoughts were clouded now that she was leaning against him, but she was still scared to say anything.

"You're not annoying… Or dumb."

He raised one eyebrow at her, and Caitlyn bit her tongue. His expression was adorable, priceless.

"Then what am I, Gellar?" there was a hint of his old self in the words, "Because I'm dying to know."

"You're a lot of things," she said vaguely. _Strong, being one. I like your arms around me like this. _

"Am I handsome?" his smirked made her glare. Here she was trying to be nice – for once – and he was turning it all into a joke. She tried to wiggle out of his grip, but his arms only tightened around her.

"Way to ruin my kindness, Shane – let go!"

"Just answer the question? You're not going anywhere." He spoke the truth, she couldn't break free.

"You're conceited," she mumbled.

"That wasn't the question," he sounded extremely amused.

Caitlyn mustered all her courage and look him right in the eye, "Yes," she said flatly, "You're handsome, Shane," she paused for a moment, "Now let go."

His lips brushed against hers and Caitlyn felt the adrenaline rush through her. What in the world? Things were all so mixed up, she wasn't even sure what was going on anymore.

When they parted, Caitlyn knew she must've looked so stupid with her wide eyes. She had kissed him back, that was her undoing. She'd never live that down, now. Wait, was it all a joke?

"Honestly, Caity, don't look so surprised…" Shane muttered a pink tint to his own face.

"You – you made me admit that you're handsome and then – " she stopped short, noticing how worried he suddenly looked. Her hand shook slightly as she reached up to touch his cheek. She loved his skin.

"You know you love me," Shane whispered, somehow managing to look cocky and nervous at the same time.

"That was never the problem," Caitlyn replied softly, feeling hurt. Was this all about him? He just wanted to show her he knew he was right?

"I-I thought you knew it went both ways…"

**Reviews pleeeeaaase?**


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